Crane-arm.



No. 746,168. PATENTED' DEG. a, 1903.

E. o. & o. w; Roon.

' CRANE ARM.

APPLIoAmoN FILED un. e. 189s. V

N ZZV r fi f 10.746,168.. v.PATENTED DEG. v8,1903. B. o. a c. W. Roon.

GRANB ARM.

APPLIUATION FILED IAB. 6, 1899.

N0 HODEL. 2 EERSTE-SHEET 2.

a Q :y we #ga 1W No. 746,168. l Patented December 8, 1803. .UNITED STATESv PATENT OFFICE.

EDWIN O. ROOD AND CHARLES W. ROOD, OF BRITT, IOWA, ASSIGNORS TO `THE' INTERSTATE DRAINAGE AND INVESTMENT COMPANY, OF BRITT, IOWA, A CORPORATION OF IOWA.y

CRANE-ARM.

. SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 746,168, dated December 8, 1903.

Application led March-6,'l899. Serial No. 708,009. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: the term rope we of course mean anyiiexi- Be it known that we, EDWIN O. ROOD and 'ble or substantially iexible connection be- 'CHARLES W. ROOD, citizens of the United tween the parts. States, residing at Britt, county of Hancock, The invention consists in the combination 55 5 State of Iowa, have invented a certain new of devices and appliances hereinafter more and'useful Improvement in Crane-Arms; and y fully described 4and claimed. we declare the following to bea full, clear, and Our invention will be more fully described exact description of thel invention, such as hereinafter with reference to the accompanywill enable others skilled in the `art to which 'ing drawings, in which the same is illustrated "6o ro it pertains to make and use the same, referas embodied in two convenient and practical ence being had tothe accompanyingdrawings, forms, and in whichwhich form a part of this specification. Figure 1 isa perspective view of our im- Our invention relates to ditching-machines, provement; Fig. 2, another perspective view dredging-machines, cranes, duc., wherein is showing the crane-arm in-its elevated posi- 65 15 employed a swinging crane-arm. y tion; Fig. 3, a front elevation of our im- The invention relates particularly to that proved apparatus, showing a slightly-modi- 'class of machines wherein 'the inner end of fled arrangement of the guide -ropes; and :the crane-arm is. engaged to a vertical pivot Fig. 4, a side elevation of the modified ar- `(wherebythe arm can swing horizontally) by rangement shown in Fig. 3. 7o zo a horizontal pivot, whereby it can swing ver- In carrying out the invention we will first tieally, the combination of the two pivots endescribe briefly the apparatus towhich our abling the crane-arm to beswung in any place improvement vis applied. desired. A represents any suitable structure for car- Also the invention relates more particularly rying the parts and will hereinafter be termed 7 5 z 5 -to that class of crane-arms known as gravity the main frame. Extending upward from crane-arms, wherein the arm is swung by one the main frame is a suitable upright frame B. or Imore ropes or chains or the like` engaged C. is whatwe will term a vertical pivot tothe outer end of the arm and Vextending, Vsuitablyjournaled inthe main frame, so it can through sheaves or the like at a point above, revolvev in a horizontal'plane, and pivoted 8o 3o the plane of the arm and extending thence l thereto bythe horizontal pivot D is a crane# to the desired power mechanism` the said arm E.` In the present instance we have illussheaves or the like being located out* of the trated a ditching-machine. Pivoted in a devertical plane of the pivoted end of the cranependingarm e is abicket-arm F, carrying the arm, whereby when the power is exerted and bucket F Engaged to the 'bucket Fat f is 85 35 the rope, chain, or the likeis pulled the outer y a rope G, which passes over the sheave G in end of the crane-arm will be raised, and bethe outer end of the crane-arm E and up to cause of the location of the sheave over'which the sheave B in the frame B, and thence down the rope passesbeing out of the verticalplane to the main frame A, where it is engaged to of the pivotal point of the arm the arm will any suitable power mechanism. We have 9o 4o be swung laterally. notconsi'dered it necessary to show this, since The construction above set forth is shown any form of windlass orother motor may be and describedA in `the pat-ent to Edwin O. employed to pull the rope G. Engaged to the Rood, dated July 17, 1888, No. 386,438, and bucket F is' another ropel H, which k passes it is to this structure and similar structures 'over the sheave H in the crane-arm E,' 'and 95 '45 that our improvements are directed. thence up and over the sheave B? in the frame More particularly, our present invention re- B and down .to vany suitable "source of power lates to thelprovision of one or more suitable on the main frame. It will be' observed that lateral guy or guide ropes for directing the sheaves B B2 are slightly to one side of the cranearm in its movement. plane of the pivot C, so thatwhen a pull is roo 5o At this point we wish it understood that in exerted on, say, the rope II which would tend the present specification wherewe have used to lift the outer end of the crane-arm the same pull will throw the crane-arm E horizontally.

A is a rope having one end engaged to the crane-arm and the other to the frame B to regulate the depth to which the outer end of the crane-arm drops.

We now come to our improvement, which consists in suitable guide-ropes for directing the movement of the crane-arm as it swings and is lifted.

Referring more particularly to Figs. l and 2, J is a guide-rope, one end engaged atj to the main frame, while the other end is engaged at j to the crane-arm. In practice this engagement is substantially at the middle of the length of the crane-arm, although not necessarily so. If desired, several points of engagement may be provided, so that the particular point at which the guide-rope J is engaged may be varied to suit the exigencies of any particular case. K is another guide-rope, one end engaged to the crane-arm at substantially the same points that the rope J is engaged and the other end engaged at 7c to the upright frame B. In lieu of 4the guideropes J and K we have shown in Figs. 3 and 4 a single guide-rope M, engaged to the cranearm at substantially the same point that the ropes J and K are engaged, extending through a staple m on the upright frame, thence to another staple m on the upright frame, and thence back to the crane-arm, where it is engaged to an arm N. This arm N is pivoted eccentrically at n to the Vcrane-arm.

In all the figures, O is a block movably engaged in the guideways O on the top of the crane-arm. Pivoted to the block O is a rod O2, the other end of said rod being pivoted to a vertical bar P, which is pivoted in the upright frame B, the pivotal engagement of the rod O2 and the bar P being made adjustable by means of the orifices o p in the respective members. It will be observed that the rope M is engaged io the arm N at a point between the pivot n and the free end of the arm. On the block O is an arm or projection O3, which bears upon and slides along the arm N.

)Ve will now explain the operation and the effects produced by the various guide-ropes arranged as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. rope J is what may be termed the sloperope. As the crane-armis raised or lowered by means of either or both the ropes G H the slope-rope J determines the path in which the outer end of the crane-arm shall travel, and by lengthening or shortening this rope J any desired path may be given to the outer end of the crane-arm. Before describing the functions of the rope K it is necessary to call attention to the mode of operation of the bucket F. Supposing the crane-arm is in its lower position, with the bucket as shown in Fig. 4, the operator exerts a pull on the rope I-I (the rope G yielding correspondingly) and causes the bucket to move to the position shown in Fig. l, thus picking up the desired quantity of earth. Both ropes G and IVI are then pulled, and this causes the crane-arm to be lifted and swung out to the desired position. The operator then allows the rope I-I to sian-ken while the rope G is held taut, and this causes the bucket to dump; but this movement in an apparatus not provided with our improvement also allows the crane-arm to move laterally back correspondingly, the result being that as the bucket dumps the earth is scattered along and is not dumped in one place. It is the function of the rope K to obviate this difficulty, as will now be explained. When both ropes G I-I are pulled to swing the crane-arm outward and upward (rope J giving the proper slope, as before explained) and the arm has reached the desired lateral position, rope K comes into play and stops the movement laterally of the crane-arm, and a continued pull on the ropes G H4 raises the cranearm vertically without the lateral movement. WV hen the rope H is slackened, the tension of the rope G swings the bucket into the position shown in dotted lines at the top of Fig. 4, thereby dumping the contents. The rope G passes around the pulley G', when the bucket swings from the position shown in Fig. 2 to that shown in dotted lines at the top of Fig. 4, thereby permitting the crane-arm to descend vertically by gravity, without, however, moving laterally, inasmuch as the distance which it drops vertically corresponds to the distance which it was elevated vertically owing tothe tension of the guide-rope K. After the bucket is emptied the ropes G and H are slackened, thereby allowing the crane-arm to swing by gravity back to its lower position ready to pick up the next load, the crane-arm being guided in such return movement by the guide-rope J. The object, therefore, of the rope K is to permit the cranearm after it has attained the desired lateral movement to have a su tiicient vertical movement, so that during the dumping operation the crane-arm will not move laterally until after the load has been dumped and the ropes G and H have been slackened to permit the crane-arm to return to its lower position.

As before explained, the slope-rope J by being lengthened or shortened will give the desired inclination to the movement of the crane-arm. lhis'is so except where the desired movement is a comparatively sharp angle such, for instance, as an angle of fortyfive degrees, which in engineering terms is a slope of one to one. lf the slope-rope .I alone were used in a slope of one to one, the bucket would not be carried far enough away from the edge of the bank before it dumps, and the duinpings would fall back in the ditch.

VVhenit is desired to carry the arm laterally after it has cleared the edge of the bank, the rope M (shown in Figs, 3 and 4) is used in lieu of the guide-ropes J and K. The operation of this rope is as follows:

As the ropes G H are pulled after the bucket has picked up its load the arm iirst 'moves horizontally and slightly vertically. The vertical movement of the crane-arm causes the block O to move forward along the cranearm, and the arm O3, bearing upon the arm N, pressing the latter down and consequently exerting a pull on the rope M, and owing to the eccentric connection of the rope M with the arm N the movement of the latter from the position shown in Fig. 4 to a position parallel with the guide O increases the amount of the rope M extending from the guide-eye m to the' arm N and consequently shortens the portion of the rope between the guidingeye m and its end fixed to the crane-arm. The effect of such operation is to diminish the lateral movement of the crane-arm until the same has moved to a point above the ditch from which the earth is being removed. As soon as the arm O3 in its travel passes beyond where the rope M is engaged to the arm N it continues to slide along the top of the arm N, and the rope Mwill permit the crane-,arm to have the desired lateral movement until the dumping-point has been reached.

`It is obvious from the above description that where the inclination of the slope on the edge of the bank to be dug is greater than 'one to one-as, for instance, one and oneout departing from the spirit of our invention. It is also obvious that more guide-ropes than those shown and described in this application may be employed without departing from the lspirit of the invention, the essential feature being the provision on one side of the crane-arm opposite to the laterall direction of movement of the arm of one or more guide-ropes for directing the arm in the desired path in its lateral and vertical movement.

What we claim is,-

l. In a machine of the class described, th

combination with the crane-arm and one or more ropes secured to' the outer end' of said crane-arm for lifting the same and moving it laterally, of one or more guide-ropes secured to said crane-arm and engaging a 'stationary point and adapted to direct the path of movement of the crane-arm by exerting a restraint itsmovement, said guide rope or ropes being engaged to said crane-arm and engaging a stationary point located in a vertical plane on the opposite side of the pivot of the crane-l Varm from the direction of its movement, said guide rope or ropes being adapted to direct the line of movement taken by the crane-arm by exerting a restraint thereon, substantially with said stationary point as the crane-arm is elevated, substantially as described.

4:. In a machine of the class described, the combination with the crane-arm, one or more ropes for lifting the outer end of said cranearm and moving it laterally, of a guide-rope `engaged to said crane-arm and extending thence to a point located in a vertical plane opposite to that of the direction of movement of the crane-arm, thence to a point in a vertical plane in the direction of the movement of the crane-arm and thence back to the cranearm and means at one point of engagement to the crane-arm for shortening the length of said guide-rope through the movement of the crane-arm, substantially as described.

5. In a machine of the class described, the combination with the crane-arm, one or more ropes for lifting the outer end of said cranearm and moving it laterally, of a guide-rope engaged to the crane-arm and extending thence first to a point located ina vertical plane on one side of the pivot of the cranearm and thence to a point located in a vertical plane on the other side of the pivot of the crane-arm, thence to an arm eccentrically` pivoted on the crane-arm, a movable arm on the crane-arm and connections to a stationary point whereby a vertical movement of the crane operates t0 move said movable arm along the crane-arm, said movable arm adapted to bear upon the arm to which the guiderope is attached and thereby tilt said latter arm and thus shorten the guide-rope, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof We sign this specification in the presence of two witnesses.

EDWIN O. ROOD.

OHAS. W. ROOD. Witnesses as to Edwin O. Rood:

WALTER H. UHAMBERLIN, GERTRUDE HEIDELBERGER. Witnesses as to Chas. W. Rood: l

THos. NowERs,

J oHN F. N owERs.

IOO

lIO 

